TRANSPORTATION
This page has information on accessible transportation and laws governing access to transportation for people with disabilities, including:
News
Nearly 74 Percent Favor Using Their Tax Dollars for Increased Investment in Public Transportation, From the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), June 03, 2013
MV-1 Maker Shuts Down, By Mark Boatman, New Mobility Magazine, June 2013
Access Board Forms Advisory Committee on Rail Vehicle Accessibility, From the U.S. Access Board, May 22, 2013
Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx to Replace LaHood as USDOT Secretary, By Larry Ehl, Transportation Issues Daily, April 28, 2013
DOT wants electric cars to make more noise, By Keith Laing, The Hill, January 07, 2013
Health impact assessment will examine proposed changes to Wichita Transit System, By KHI News Service, December 11, 2012
Nation’s Paratransit System Lacks Oversight, By Shaun Heasley, Disability Scoop, November 20, 2012
Funding Your Handicap Accessible Van with a Grant, By Guest Blogger Susan Hawkins, Content Manager for AMS Vans, Inc., Disability Blog, November 07, 2012
Financial Assistance Options for Adaptive Driving, By Guest Blogger Chris Miller, Director of Interactive Marketing, The Mobility Resource, Disability Blog, September 26, 2012
Advocacy Organizations and Informational Resources
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), is the leading trade organization for the public transportation industry. APTA serves and leads its diverse membership through advocacy, innovation and information sharing.
At the Community Transportation Association of America our vision of America's public and community transportation future — the cause that we serve — is based upon fundamental values that are as old as the nation itself. Freedom, independence, dignity and choice are as much at the heart of the debate for building an accessible society as they have been in building a free society. There is never an end to the work to create a free society, and there will never be an end to our work to build a more mobile society. Both of these noble pursuits remain great works in progress.
Disability.gov is the federal government's one-stop Web site for information of interest to people with disabilities, their families, employers, service providers and many others. This section of Disability.gov offers a wide range of information on accessible transportation systems, community transportation initiatives and federal laws and regulations to improve access and availability of bus, rail and air travel.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is one of 10 modal administrations within the U.S. Department of Transportation. FTA administers federal funding to support a variety of locally planned, constructed, and operated public transportation systems throughout the U.S., including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, streetcars, monorail, passenger ferry boats, inclined railways, and people movers.
Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA) promotes cooperation between the transportation industry and the disability community to increase mobility for people with disabilities under the ADA and beyond. We offer various resources, as well as training and technical assistance, in an effort to make the ADA work for everyone, everyday.
Transportation for America is a coalition of housing, business, environmental, public health, transportation, equitable development, and other organizations which seeks to align national, state, and local transportation policies with an array of issues like economic opportunity, climate change, energy security, health, housing and community development.
Publications
ADA Paratransit Services: Demand Has Increased, but Little is Known about Compliance, November 2012 - this Government Accountability Office (GAO) report examines what public transit agencies are doing to address the growing demand for Paratransit services and provides recommendation on how to improve the collection of data to document how well paratransit services are being provided.
Adapting Motor Vehicles For People With Disabilities: A Proven Process for Gaining Freedom on the Road - this brochure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is based on the experience of driver rehabilitation specialists and other professionals who work with individuals who require adaptive devices for their motor vehicles. It is centered around a proven process that can help you avoid costly mistakes when purchasing and modifying a vehicle with adaptive equipment. Also included is general information on cost savings, licensing requirements, and organizations to contact for help.
Equity in Transportation for People with Disabilities, May 2012 - as Congress debates reauthorization of the surface transportation bill, this report by the American Association of People with Disabilities and the Leadership Conference Education Fund offers recommendations on how to address the current inequity in affordable, reliable, accessible transportation for people with disabilities.
Moving Forward Together: A Workbook for Initiating and Increasing Accessible Taxi Services is designed for use by community leaders representing the taxi industry, disability community, transit industry, and local government, and is intended to facilitate discussion and encourage input from multiple perspectives as communities move forward to improve and increase the availability of accessible taxis. The workbook includes nine sections on important issues related to accessible taxi services, including public policy, vehicle design and costs, and contracts and operating agreements. Each section includes a series of discussion points that can be considered by a community and relevant examples of current efforts from communities across the country that have already put much work into improving accessible taxi services, along with contact information so workbook users can learn more about their experiences. Download as a PDF file | text file
The New Horizons Booklet is a guide designed to offer travelers with disabilities a brief but authoritative source of information about the Air Carrier Access rules: the accommodations, facilities, and services that are now required to be available. It also describes features required by other regulations designed to make air travel more accessible.
Stranded at the Station: The Impact of the Financial Crisis in Public Transportation is an August 2009 report by Transportation For America which offers a systematic analysis of the conundrum faced by communities and their transit systems: Historic ridership and levels of demand for service, coupled with the worst funding crisis in decades. The report documents the devastation of transit cuts and fare increases on America’s communities.
Thinking Outside the Farebox - this new free guidebook from Transportation for America is designed to help community leaders across the country meet the demand for transit by raising money to build and operate it outside of the traditional federal funding sources.
The United We Ride National Dialogue Final Report, February 2010 (pdf / doc)-The Dialogue brought together key stakeholders using collaborative web-based technologies to discuss the following broad question: “What ideas can improve access to affordable and reliable transportation for people with disabilities, older adults, and people with limited incomes?” The Dialogue participants highlighted important and challenging policy concerns for moving forward. The themes, ideas, and Panel recommendations in this report identify significant opportunities to break down the Federal barriers to local coordination of Federal transportation resources and streamline access to transportation services for people with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with limited incomes.